The Great Wall faces an existential question: should crumbling sections be restored, or should they be preserved in their natural state of decay?
The Case for Restoration
Proponents of restoration argue that without intervention, sections like Jiankou and Gubeikou will eventually crumble to rubble. Restoration makes the wall accessible to ordinary visitors, not just skilled mountaineers. The Mutianyu restoration, completed in 1988, proved that careful reconstruction could preserve historical accuracy while adding modern safety features.
The Case for Preservation
Preservation advocates argue that restoration often destroys as much history as it saves. The 2016 “restoration” of a Liaoning province section — which resulted in the ancient brick wall being paved over with smooth concrete — became an international scandal. Critics argue that a restored wall is no longer the Great Wall — it is a replica.
The Simatai Compromise
Simatai represents a middle path. The eastern section was carefully restored using traditional techniques and materials, while the western section remains wild and unrestored. Visitors can experience both the wall as it was and the wall as it is — two faces of the same dragon.
Climate and Time
Ultimately, nature will have the final say. Freeze-thaw cycles, vegetation growth, and erosion are relentless enemies. Every year, sections of the wild wall collapse. The question is not whether the wall will change, but how — and who gets to decide.